Koh dubs Pak Lah ‘Father of Democracy’

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been dubbed the “Father of Democracy” by Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

In his opening speech this morning at Gerakan’s national delegates conference, Koh said that “as the Prime Minister, Abdullah has initiated reforms for good governance and promoted commitment to integrity. As an advocate for democracy, he has opened up more space for expression to Malaysians.”

Koh also said that while Abdullah was committed to fighting corruption and uplifting the standards of living of the poor, more reforms were required.

He called on Abdullah’s designated successor Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to “continue with the reforms in government started by Abdullah”.

The former Penang chief minister said that after the huge mandate given to Gerakan and Barisan Nasional in 2004, "the implementation of such reforms has been delayed and some reforms were even derailed."

He claimed that the people are unhappy with the lack of efficiency and integrity in the government's delivery system, the disparity between the rich and poor and statements and gestures by some politicians that were racist and extreme leading to "a wave of anti-BN sentiments, resulting in the worst results ever suffered by the BN in the March 8 general election.

As such, he called for detainees under the Internal Security Act not involved in terrorism to be released and for the Act to be replaced with a legislation specifically on terrorism.

"Recent arrests under the Internal Security Act have convinced the public that the ISA is open to abuse. It has become a liability to the government," he insisted.